“Star Wars” creator George Lucas has submitted plans to the Marin County (Calif.) Development Agency to build 224 units of affordable workforce and senior housing on 52 acres at Grady Ranch.
This proposal is the latest broadside in an ongoing battle between Lucas and residents of this affluent neighborhood who, in the past, have blocked Lucas’s efforts to expand his production company, Lucasfilms. Two years years ago, Lucas also encountered opposition to his plan to sell land at Grady Ranch to a developer for affordable housing.
Lucas, who has owned land in Marin County since 1978 (that property is called Skywalker Ranch), said he would build the housing himself, but that project lost its financial backing in 2013. The Marin Independent Journal reported at the time that the costs for the project would fall somewhere between $120 million and $150 million.
Now, Lucas—whom Forbes estimates is worth $5.1 billion—says he will finance 100% of the housing project, according to Gary Giacomini, former county supervisor and an attorney for Skywalker Properties.
The initial reactions to Lucas’s latest proposal have been mixed, with one local supervisor worrying about the “cumulative impact” of a project that large on the community. Other supervisors see the proposal as an opportunity to make a dent in the county’s shortage of affordable housing. Thomas Peters, CEO of the Marin Community Foundation, called Lucas’ plan an “extraordinary offer” that underscores the filmmaker’s commitment to the housing needs of the vibrant workforce that drives the region’s vitality. (Ironically, the Foundation was the financial backer that bailed on Lucas’s housing plans two years ago.)
Lucas’s proposal call for 120 two- and three-bedroom workforce rental homes in one four-story cluster and two two-story clusters. There would also be 104 one- and two-bedroom residences for seniors in a four-story cluster, according to the Independent Journal. Zoning at Grady Ranch allows for up to 324 homes at this site, which is where Lucas had originally intended to expand his studio facilities.
The architect for this project is Robert W. Hayes of Sausalito, and the project is being coordinated and managed by PEP Housing of Petaluma, which developed Toussin Senior Apartments, an affordable complex that Hayes had designed.
Applicants for the workforce housing need to be earning less than 80% of the market’s median household income. The seniors applying for housing need to fall within 30% and 60% of that median. Quoting Census estimates, the Washington Post reports that 7.7% of the county’s residences live below its $90,839 median income level.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Jun 15, 2015
Cornell Tech breaks ground on world's first Passive House residential high-rise
To achieve Passive House standards, Cornell Tech Residential will incorporate a number of sustainability-focused design elements. The façade, constructed of a prefabricated metal panel system, acts as a thermally insulated blanket wrapping the building structure.
Wood | Jun 2, 2015
Michael Green Architecture designs world's tallest wood building for Paris competition
“Just as Gustave Eiffel shattered our conception of what was possible a century and a half ago, this project can push the envelope of wood innovation with France in the forefront," said architect Michael Green of the project.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 1, 2015
Sacramento moves forward on multifamily project with new modular supplier
Guerdon Modular Buildings will provide modules for 118 apartments.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Fannie Mae offers incentives for energy, water efficiency in multifamily buildings
Owners of apartment buildings and cooperatives may be eligible for loans with reduced interest rates for upgrades that reduce their energy or water consumption by at least 20%, under a new Fannie Mae refinancing program.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Energy Department releases resources to assess building energy benchmarking policies, programs
The new handbook demonstrates methodologies using real data from New York City.
Multifamily Housing | May 28, 2015
Census Bureau: 10 U.S. cities now have one million people or more
California and Texas each have three of the one-million-plus cities.
Multifamily Housing | May 27, 2015
‘European’ living comes to The Woodlands with its first condo tower
Treviso at Waterway Square will offer a dynamic downtown setting with numerous live/work/play options.
Multifamily Housing | May 19, 2015
Zaha Hadid unveils 'interlocking lattice' design for luxury apartments in Monterrey, Mexico
Hadid's scheme was inspired by the Mexican tradition of interlocking lattice geometries.
Multifamily Housing | May 19, 2015
Study: Urban land use policies costs U.S. economy $1.6 trillion a year
The research contends that more affordable housing options can help cities generate significantly more income.
Multifamily Housing | May 17, 2015
New York City runs into affordable housing dilemma
New York City’s affordable housing policy has created attractive low-cost housing, but the price of success has been high.
